Gentz to appear for post-conviction court hearing

A post-conviction motion in the Joe Gentz case is the subject of a hearing Wednesday morning at Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit.

Attorneys on both sides of the case would not reveal the nature of the hearing in front of Judge Vonda Evans. But Gentz’s attorney, Susan Reed, said Tuesday it does not involve Gentz being issued two misconduct violations in prison.

Gentz, 49, formerly of St. Clair Shores, who is house at Macomb Correctional Facility in Lenox Township, is expected to attend the hearing.

Gentz is serving 17 to 28 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder last December for the January 2012 murder of Jane Bashara, 56, in her Grosse Pointe Park garage. Gentz told police he strangled the Mount Clemensnativeat the bequest and under threat of her husband, Bob Bashara, 55, who is charged with her murder.

Bashara faces a pre-preliminary examination conference Aug. 19 in front of Judge Kenneth King in 36th District Court in Detroit.

Bob Bashara is also serving a minimum 80 months in prison for soliciting someone to kill Gentz while he was housed in a Wayne County jail facility in June 2012 for the murder.

It was also learned recently that Gentz received misconduct violations one week apart in May.

He refused May 14 to take a Test of Adult Basic Education Test, claiming he did not have to because he had a high school diploma, according to records of the state Department of Corrections. His penalty was loss of privileges for five days starting May 25.

On May 7, he held open his automated cell door that was closing, causing “undue wear and tear on the door mechanism,” a report says. He was penalized to 48 hours “toplock,” meaning he was confined to a top bunk except for meals, May 11-13, the report says.